Trolley for electric cars



(No Model.)

J. E; HEWES. TROLLEY FOR ELECTRIC CARS.

No. 567,474. Patented Sept. 8, 1896.

Attorney.

TNE wams PETERS m. mcrau'rw. wJsNmGTQm 0. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES ELLIOOTT I'IEWES, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

TROLLEY FOR ELECTRIC CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 567,474, dated September 8, 1896.

Application filed May 7, 1896. fierlal No. 590,533. (No model.)

electric .cars 5 and it consists of certain improvements which are fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

It has been the customary practice to pivot the arm of the trolley to the car so that it may move freely at its upper end in all directions, and the trolley or contact wheel has been pressed upward against the suspended conductor with considerable force by a large spring or springs acting upon the lower end of the trolley-arm. As the arm is heavy and the leverage of the spring is small, it must be made very powerful, and in case the trolleywheel jumps the conductor, as it frequently does, this spring causes the arm to fly upward and forward with a strong whip action with consequent injury to the spanner-wires and overhead conductor structure which may be whereby the trolley is moved out of a position in which it may do damage.

In carrying out my invention I provide the usual trolley structure with an auxiliary spring adapted to pull the trolley-pole backward and downward to a point below the conductor. This spring is maintained out of operation by a suitable latch, which is liberated upon the trolley-pole assuming a vertical position. In operation, therefore, the forward movement of the trolley-pole after the 1 wheel has jumped the conductor liberates the set the apparatus the conductor has only to draw the trolley all the way down and then let it go upward and seat itself upon the suspended wire.

My invention will be better understood by reference to'the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved trolley. Fig.2 is a sectional elevation of a portion thereof 011 line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of same on line 1 1 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line at 4 of Fig.

A is the trolley-pole, and has at its top or free end the grooved contact with the suspended conductor E. This trolley-pole is hinged on a transverse axis 13 upon a supporting-frame (Z, which is in turn sustained by and movable upon a bed-plate O by a vertical axis. Springs D, carried upon the frame (Z and acting upon the rods D, cause the trol- This part may be varied to suit the different types of trolleys to which my attachments may be applied. Extending upward and forward from the head F are two rods G, which extend through eyes on a collar I-I, clamped uponthe trolley-pole near its lower part. The ends of the rods may be provided with nuts g, if desired, to limit the possible forward swinging of the trolley-arm. Encircling the rods G G is a spring I, and guided upon the rods and arranged above the spring is a slide-plate J. A chain or cord K is connected at one end to this plate J, and, then passes backward and around a grooved guide-wheel L in the head F, and thence upward and connected with the trolley-pole at 70. N N are two springlatches, secured to the head F and adapted to extend laterally over the edges of the plate J and hold it against being moved by the spring. WVorking within the guides G G and spring and adapted to pass freely through the aperture in the plate J is a releasing-wedge IOO M, which is attached to the trolley-pole by a rod m. The action of this part is to release the plate J and spring I whenever the trolley jumps the conductor and flies forward. \Vhen these parts are released, the spring pushes the plate toward the trolley and pulls upon the chain or cord K, with the result of pulling the trolley-pole backward to approximately forty-five degrees, or in any event below the suspended conductor and cross wires.

When the conductor wishes to reset the trolley he pulls the pole all the way down, so that the releasing-wedgeisreturnedto a position within the spring I, and at the same time the pole presses against the plate J and forces it back and the spring under compres sion until the parts are reset or locked under the spring -.latches N. After resetting the parts, as above described, the releasing of the trolley cord .permits the springs I) of the trolley-to come into play once moreandhold the trolley-wheel to the suspended conductor.

The illustration showsinyinvention applied to one well-known type of trolley, but it is selfeevident that it may be applied'to anyof the types in general use by simply arranging for the. attachment of thepart F to the trolley structure, as 'found convenient.

\Vhile I prefer the construction shown in .practice, I do not confine myself thereto, as

the-details thereof may be modified without departing from .my invention.

What I claimasnew, anddesire to secure :by Letters Patent, .is

1. The combination in. a trolley of a pivoted pole carrying the contact vat the free end, a

main spring for normally pressingthe pole upward, an auxiliary spring actingdirectly upon the .pole at adistance from its pivot adapted to pullthe trolley-pole down against the action of the main spring, aconnection between the auxiliary spring and'trolley-pole at a distance from its pivot whereby the said spring actsuponthepole with great leverage,

a latch .for holding the auxiliary'spring out of action, alatch-releasing device connected itothe .pole between its .pivot and contact and upward, an: auxiliary spring actingupon the pole ata distance .from its pivot adapted to pullthe trolley-pole down againstthe action of the main spring, a connection between the auxiliary. spring and trolley-polebetween the pivot and contact whereby the said spring acts upon thepole withgreat leverage, a latch for'holding the auxiliaryspring out of action, aiflexible.latch-releasing device actuated by the trolley-polewhen it attempts to assume a verticalrposition, and a frame pivotedto the root of the car on a vertical axis carrying all of said parts and permitting them to move simultaneously.

3. The combination in a trolley ofa'pivoted pole carrying the contact at the free end, a main spring for normally pressing the pole upward, an auxiliary spring adapted to pull the trolley-pole down against the action of the main spring, a connection between the auxiliary spring and trolley-pole consisting of a cord or chain connected at one end to the spring and at the other end to the trolley-pole and a guide-pulley about which it passes whereby the spring acts upon the pole to move it in a reverse direction to theaction of the spring,a latchfor holding the auxiliary spring out of action, and alatch-releasing device actuated by the trolley-pole when it attempts to assume a vertical position.

4. In a trolley the combination of a pole movable on a-transverse axis and carrying a contact at its free'end, witha mainspring to hold the contact against the under-side of the suspended conductor, guide-rods G, an auxil iary spring I- guided by the guide-rods, a mom able plate J also guided by the guide-.rodsand .resting against the auxiliary spring, spring latches N for holding the plateJ againstzthe action of the auxiliary spring, a releasing wedge or part M connected with the trolley pole for releasing the latches, a guide-wheel L, and a chain or cord -.extending .from the plateJ around the wheel L vand connecting with the trolley-pole.

5. 111 a trolley the combination of va pivoted support movable on:a vertical axis, a main spring carried upon said support andacting to movethetr'olley-pole into a vertical position, an auxiliary spring also directly acting upon the trolley-pole to Lend tomove-it down awayfrom-the conductor or trolleywireand carried on the same end of the supportas-the main spring, a latch to hold the auxiliary spring out of action, a connection between the latch and trolley-pole to operate the latch, and a vmechanical connectionbetween the trolley pole and auxiliary spring-whereby the pulling down of the pole by thetrolley-cordresets the auxiliary spring and trolley.

6. In a trolley, the combinationpof a pole pivoted ona transverse axis, amainspring to support the pole in operative connection with the suspended trolley wire, an auxiliary spring directlyconnected with the pole to pull it away from the trolley-wire, a latchcontrolled by the trolley-pole to release-the auxiliary spring, and a connection from the trolley-pole at. a p'oint'between its pivot andcontact to theauxiliary spring forresetting it under tension when the trolley-pole is pulled down by the trolley-cord.

7. Ina trolley, apivoted pole, amai-n spring for elevating .it, an auxiliary spring held under tension and-normally dormant, alatch controlled by the pole for releasing the aux iliary spring, a connection betweenthe auxiliary spring and pole, and means acting through the trolley cord and polelfor resetting the auxiliary spring from the ground.

8. Ina trolley, apivotedpole, amain spring for elevating it, an auxiliary spring held under tension and normally dormant, a latch controlled by the pole for releasing the auxiliary spring, a connection between the auxiliary spring and pole, a pivoted support for the trolley and auxiliary spring to provide lateral motion to the trolley, and means acting through the trolley cord and pole for resetting the auxiliary spring from the ground.

9. In a trolley, a pivoted support, a trolleypole pivoted to the support on a transverse axis, a main spring to elevate the pole, an auxiliary spring .to depress the pole, a movable frame for the auxiliary spring pivoted to the support and having a positive connection with the trolley-pole above its support, a latch carried by said pivoted frame, a connection between the latch and pole for releasing the latch When the pole rises, a positive connection between the pole and auxiliary spring 20 JAMES ELLICOTT I-IEWES.

' Witnesses:

R. M. HUNTER, R. M. KELLY. 

